Ukrainians to travel visa-free in the EU by 2016

Ukrainian and Georgian citizens will soon be able to travel freely within the EU without needing a visa, Die Welt reports.

Visa-free access to the EU is a key goal of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s government and EU support for the measure would be welcomed in Kiev as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalate. The Commission is due to file a recommendation on December 15 to member states, who would then need to approve the measure.

Citizens from both Ukraine and Georgia would be able to stay in the EU for three months every six months without a visa from mid-2016, although this does not automatically allow them to work within the EU.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Tuesday that Ukraine had fulfilled all requirements set by the EU to obtain visa-free travel. Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said it was “almost certain” that the EU would support the proposal.

In return for support over visa-free travel, the Commission expects Kiev to take a stronger action against corruption by spring 2016. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden reiterated on Wednesday the need for the country to combat corruption or risk losing international support. In a speech to the Ukrainian parliament he said that “corruption eats Ukraine like cancer.”

A free trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine will come into force on January 1, 2016, despite Russian protests.

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Hugo de Geus

Not if the Dutch vote no to the association agreement in the referendum in April 2016. The idea that armed and trained extreme right militant terrorist who are above the law can travel throughout Europe without any form of control is just as frightening as ISIL scum roaming around unopposed.